This update is a tool to enhance communication between the NCAA national office and the Division III membership, with distribution to athletics directors, senior woman administrators, faculty athletics representatives, presidents, national SAAC, conference commissioners and the NADIIIAA listserv. We encourage athletics directors to share this communication with their athletics department members. Please contact Louise McCleary to include an item or share comments, and remember to check out the Division III governance
homepage for the latest news and information.

ACTION REQUEST: 2020 NCAA Convention Planning Survey

ACTION REQUEST: 2019 Graduation Rate Collection

The Academic Portal to report federal graduation rates and enrollment data is now open. The submission deadline is June 1
. Institutions can access the site through the NCAA’s Single Source Sign-On system. In addition to the required student-body reporting, Division III members are strongly encouraged to provide the voluntary academic success rate data for the 2012-2013 student-athlete cohort. With the adoption of 2019 Convention legislation, Division III institutions will be required to begin reporting student-athlete graduation data in 2020. Participation in the 2019 reporting cycle provides an excellent opportunity for institutions to become familiar with the process. Please contact Maria DeJulio or Eric Hartung
with any questions.

SAAC Mental Health Resource Cards

The national Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) has shipped Wellness Watch mental health resource cards to the 206 Division III institutions that requested them. The durable wallet-sized cards are personalized to each individual campus with the goal of providing student-athletes with quick access to on-campus resources if they find themselves or others facing a mental health challenge. The cards include contact information for important resources such as: the campus counseling center, the campus safety department, the athletic training office, the campus Title IX office, the campus student life office and the national suicide prevention lifeline. For
institutions that did not request resource cards but would like to produce a similar resource for their student-athletes, SAAC has provided a fillable pdf form to use as a template.

REGISTER TODAY: Gameday the DIII Way - Ambassador Training

You are invited to join leaders from Division III and the Disney Institute for a special Gameday the DIII Way ambassador training in Orlando, Florida. The ambassador training helps senior administrators understand how to implement Gameday the DIII Way on campus. The day and a half training will be conducted by professional facilitators from the Disney Institute. It is valuable training regardless of whether you have experienced the standard 90-minute Gameday the DIII Way training. This program takes a deeper dive into how the Disney service culture can be integrated into Division III events. This training will take place the afternoon of June 12 and
all-day June 13. The NCAA will cover necessary travel, hotel and per diem expenses for participants.

Click here to RSVP by providing your name, position and institution. The training is limited to the first 45 participants, so register early. Athletics directors, senior woman administrators and facility/event managers are eligible and preferred.

DUE DATE APPROACHING: Sexual Violence Prevention Policy

In August 2017, the NCAA Board of Governors adopted an Association-wide policy, recommended by the NCAA Commission to Combat Campus Sexual Violence, to reinforce previous Association efforts in addressing campus sexual violence. This form is available on the NCAA Program Hub and should be signed by the required signatories and uploaded by the director of athletics not later than May 15. Click here
for frequently asked questions on the policy. The names of colleges and universities that complete and do not complete the attestation form will be included in a report delivered to the Board of Governors at its August meeting and both lists will subsequently be published on ncaa.org. Colleges or universities that do not complete the attestation form will be prohibited from hosting any NCAA championship competitions during the next applicable academic year (i.e. 2019-20). Direct any questions about the policy or attestation form process to questions@ncaa.org.

Sport Sponsorship and Demographic Form

The Sport Sponsorship and Demographic Form will open May 8. Completing the form is a membership requirement, and the form must be submitted no later than July 26. An e-mail that will include information on how to access the site will be sent to administrators and other campus personnel before the site opens. If you have additional questions please contact Maria DeJulio, Lynn Dickey or Erin Irick.

NCAA Division III Webinars

The next Division III webinar will be 1:30 to 2 p.m. Eastern time, Tuesday, May 7. The topic will be an update from the recent meetings of the Division III Management and Presidents Councils.

Future webinars will be conducted from 1:30 to 2 p.m. Eastern time on the following dates:

June 4 – Injury Surveillance Program.

August 6 – NCAA Transfer Portal.

Each webinar will be limited to the first 250 participants. All past webinar PowerPoints are on the Division III website.

Division III Week Recap

Of Division III member institutions and conferences, a total of 365, or 74%, celebrated the eighth annual Division III Week, April 1-7. Thanks to all that participated! Many of this year's activities featured the division's partnership with Special Olympics. Division III raised $4,459 for Special Olympics North America by encouraging schools and conference offices to follow @NCAADIII on Instagram. For the third consecutive year, the division hosted a Division III Week video contest. After 29 submissions, Bryn Mawr College was selected the winner. To view the video, click here
. Bryn Mawr will be awarded $500. The ninth annual Division III Week will be April 13-19, 2020. While planning for next year's event, remember to use resources and check for updates at the Division III Week website.

Thirty schools and conference offices will receive diversity grants for the upcoming cycles of the Ethnic Minorities and Women’s Internship Grant (23 recipients) and the Strategic Alliance Matching Grant (seven recipients). Committees consisting of membership representatives select the grant recipients. Successful grant applications encourage access, recruitment, selection and the long-term success of ethnic minorities and women in Division III athletics administration and coaching. The full list of recipients can be found
here.

Women’s Basketball’s Five-Year Strategic Plan

Recently the NCAA women’s basketball staff announced its five-year strategic plan that will encompass all three divisions. The plan – created in collaboration with women’s basketball stakeholders – expresses a fully-shared vision for the future of the sport. View a video from Lynn Holzman, NCAA vice president of women’s basketball, as she details the plan here. View the full release here and the strategic plan in its entirety here.

2019 FAR Fellows Institute

The Division III 2019 FAR Fellows Institute will be conducted Oct. 18-20 at the NCAA national office in Indianapolis. Faculty athletics representatives with at least two years of experience are eligible to attend this three-day professional development program, inclusive of travel. Applications for attendance are accessible through the NCAA Program Hub
. FARs must be nominated by their commissioner, athletics director, president/chancellor, or athletics direct report. After being nominated, the FAR will complete an on-line application. The deadline for nominations and applications is 5 p.m. Eastern time, May 31.

The Institute program provides a thorough examination of best practices and issues surrounding the role and responsibility of the FAR, helps FAR fellows develop the leadership skills necessary to carry out their responsibilities on campus and in their conference, and strengthens the network of FARs needed to serve on conference, divisional and Association-wide committees. Contact Leah Kareti
with any questions. Note that this program is offered in alternating years with the Division III New FAR Orientation, which will be offered again in fall 2020 in conjunction with the FARA annual meeting.

Monthly Prevention Tip

It’s the end of the academic year! Take stock of what went well, what went less well (and therefore what you might want to try differently next year) and start planning for the subsequent academic year. Consider the end-of-the-year activities discussed in the webinar from April 29, 2015, posted on Center Point.

Program Support

Visit 360 Proof at the Indianapolis Regional Rules Seminar. The 360 Proof team will have implementation information to share with others on your campus, and we would love to talk to you about questions or how to use the program.

Not going to Regional Rules in Indy? Book a call with an expert as you reflect on last year and get ready for 2019-20. 360 Proof offers phone consultations to discuss either general prevention strategy or use of 360 Proof tools. To schedule this call, send an email request to ExpertHelp@360proof.org and include the following:

1. Your name and institution.
2. Your phone number.
3. The topic you would like to discuss.

Please contact Leah Kareti with any questions about 360 Proof. Don't miss us on Twitter for 360 Proof highlights, tips and tutorials: @Real360Proof.

2019 CoSIDA Convention Registration

On-line registration is now open for the 2019 CoSIDA Convention, taking place June 9-12 in Orlando, Florida, in conjunction with NACDA and Affiliates Convention Week. A day featuring Division III specific programming will occur Tuesday, June 11. Similar to past years, additional dollars were added to the Division III Conference Grant specifically for campus Athletics Communication Directors and Sports Information Directors to receive funding for this professional development opportunity. Ask your conference commissioner for details.

The Diversity Spotlight Initiative recognizes and promotes outstanding diversity related projects, programming and initiatives occurring on Division III campuses and in conference offices. All selected recipients receive $500 toward their next diversity initiative. To submit an initiative for consideration for May, email Louise McCleary, with a brief statement (no more than 500 words) as to why your institution or conference office deserves to be the spotlight recipient. Attach a video or photo if applicable. The nomination deadline is May 21.

Diversity Tip of the Month

The NCAA office of inclusion closely monitors the status of women in leadership positions in intercollegiate athletics. We recognize that women, and particularly women of color, are underrepresented in coaching and athletic administration. We partner with the Women Leaders in College Sports, WeCOACH and other organizations to provide worthwhile professional development opportunities for women. For the most up-to-date information about Women Leaders in College Sports’ and WeCOACH professional development opportunities, visit:

Spotlight Poll

The NCAA Division III Special Olympics Spotlight Poll is a story-telling initiative located on ncaa.org/D3SpecialOlympics
. It features new stories each month that highlight a Division III and Special Olympics joint activity or event. The story with the highest number of votes on the 25th day of each month is the winner. That institution or conference receives $500 to use for its next Special Olympics event. Written and digital submissions both are accepted. Featured stories are selected based on inclusion of the student-athlete perspective and Division III messaging. To submit a story for consideration, email d3specialolympics@ncaa.org.

Rule of the Month

Institutions may participate in a foreign tour per Bylaw 17.29. When an institution is participating in a foreign tour it must certify in writing (click here to see a model form) that it has met the conditions in bylaw 17.29 and must keep that certification on file in the athletics department. Further, there are four areas to focus on when planning a foreign tour for your institution:

Timing. Bylaw 17.29.1.3 requires that a foreign tour be scheduled during the summer-vacation period or during any vacation period published in the institution’s official catalog. It’s important to note that all travel to and from the foreign country must occur during the vacation period. Tours also are limited to once in every three years per sport.

Practice. A team is permitted up to 10 days of practice before leaving on a foreign tour. Those days do not have to be consecutive if there are extenuating circumstances (like exams, convocation, etc.) but they must occur during the 20 calendar days immediately before the departure date. Bylaw 17.29.1.6

Student-athlete eligibility
. Only student-athletes who are eligible for intercollegiate competition may accompany a team on a foreign tour. If the tour takes place during the summer, the student-athlete must have been eligible during the previous academic year or must have been enrolled at the institution as a full-time student during the previous academic year and have established eligibility for the next year by the beginning of the tour (Bylaw 17.29.1.5). Incoming freshmen or transfer student-athletes are not excluded from foreign tours that take place the summer before their enrollment, provided the foreign tour begins after the permissible starting date for practice in the sport and the
incoming student-athlete is eligible to represent the institution in intercollegiate competition during the academic year immediately after the tour (Bylaw 17.29.1.5.1).

Competition and opponents. When taking part in a foreign tour, teams are limited to a maximum of three football games, 10 basketball games or 10 contests or dates of competition in any other sport (Bylaw 17.29.1.7). Also, teams are not permitted to compete against other American teams (colleges or otherwise) on a foreign tour except for a team composed of U.S. armed forces personnel stationed at a U.S. military base in foreign countries (Bylaw 17.29.1.8).

2019 Institutional Self-Study Guide

Constitution 6.3.1 requires all Division III institutions to conduct a comprehensive self-study and evaluation of their athletics programs at least once every five years. The next Institutional Self-Study Guide (ISSG) is due June 1. Click here
for a list of institutions that need to complete the ISSG this year. The full ISSG and requirements for supporting documentation must be completed online; fax, hard copy, or email submissions of the ISSG will not be accepted. The ISSG can be accessed via the My Apps link on NCAA.org (if access has been granted by the institution’s single-source sign-on administrator). The manual is designed to assist member institutions in accessing the ISSG. Institutions that need technical assistance should send questions via email to Corey Berg.

Recent Interpretation

Revised - Official Interpretation: Participation on a Major Junior Ice Hockey Team (III). The Division III Interpretations and Legislation Committee determined that an individual that participates in a tryout or minimal practice with a Major Junior ice hockey team prior to collegiate enrollment does not constitute participation on a Major Junior ice hockey team. Participation on a Major Junior ice hockey team prior to collegiate enrollment results in the individual using a season of participation for each calendar year in which the participation occurs. Additionally, the individual would have to fulfill an academic year in residence prior to competing in intercollegiate hockey.
The following constitutes participation on a Major Junior ice hockey team:

Competing with a Major Junior team, including scrimmages and exhibitions. Intra-squad scrimmages are not competitions.

Practicing during the regular or postseason in excess of a span of 48-consecutive hours.

Appearing on a team roster at any time during the regular or post season.

The following would not constitute participation on a Major Junior ice hockey team:

Participating in preseason (i.e., period before first regularly scheduled contest) provided no competition against another team occurs.

Engaging in a tryout activity not exceeding 48-consecutive hours at any time.

The NCAA provides a wide array of professional development opportunities for the membership. Check out the recent program highlights and upcoming opportunities for involvement and engagement below. To learn more about NCAA Leadership Development and browse its full program offerings, click here. Engage with the NCAA leadership development department using #LearnLead on social media.

Student-Athlete Leadership Forum
: From April 11-14, just under 300 student-athletes and administrators from across the NCAA membership traveled to Orlando, Florida, for the 2019 Student-Athlete Leadership Forum. Participants engaged in meaningful leadership development programming, taking a step back out of their busy schedules for a weekend of self-reflection, relationship-building and skill development. Division III student-athletes were nominated by campus administrators. Those selected exhibited a propensity for personal growth and possessed an opportunity to return to campus and make a tangible impact on their teammates, peers and community by using what they learned in the program. For a full recap of this
year’s forum, follow the link here.

Basketball Coaches Academy: NCAA leadership development will host the Basketball Coaches Academy May 8-9 in Tampa, Florida. The program provides 30 current, full-time intercollegiate basketball coaches at NCAA member institutions an opportunity to expand their knowledge and insight into the world of intercollegiate basketball coaching. Topics will include effective communication with campus and community constituents, the importance of building a strong team culture, budget management and coaching strategies.

Leadership Academy Workshop
: The NCAA Leadership Academy Workshop educates and trains athletics administrators on the ins and outs of developing effective, comprehensive leadership curriculum for student-athletes and department staff. Participants in the workshop learn how to structure activities, facilitate discussions and structure effective sessions. The workshop takes place in two parts, where participants discuss structures and frame works for a leadership academy on campus, as well as explore effective implementation, evaluation, and stakeholder investment strategies. The application for the 2019 Leadership Academy Workshop will open this summer. Keep an eye out for the NCAA leadership development
newsletter for application information and program testimonials.

Woman of the Year Nominations

It’s time to nominate outstanding college athletes for NCAA Woman of the Year. This is your opportunity to recognize up to two graduating women for their academic achievements, athletics excellence, community service and leadership. NCAA member schools nominated 581 student-athletes for the 2018 Woman of the Year award – the most in the history of the program. Honor women on your campus and help shatter that record with at least one nomination from every school for this prestigious award. Eligible female student-athletes are nominated by their member school. Each conference office then reviews the nominations from its core member schools (and sponsored sports) and submits
its conference nominee(s) to the NCAA. Nominations are due by 5 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, June 11. Click here for more details.

DiSC Assessments Available

Use of the DiSC is strongly encouraged on member campuses. Participants gain personalized feedback on their specific leadership style, and student-athletes, coaches and administrators gain valuable understanding of everyone’s behavioral style. Applying this knowledge can promote effective team dynamics, leadership, and communication.

In 2018-19, each Division III school interested in utilizing the DiSC resource will be provided assessments for up to 50 student-athletes, as well as 30 coaches or administrators, at no cost. Funding is limited, and requests will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here, to learn more about the DiSC resource.

Soccer

Two rules changes were approved for the 2019 soccer season and may be viewed here. For questions, please contact Ken Andres, NCAA Men’s and Women’s Soccer Secretary-Rules Editor, at kandres.ncaasre@gmail.com.

The 2018-19 men’s and women’s soccer rules survey results are available here.

Wrestling

The Wrestling Rules Committee met April 8-10 in Indianapolis. The rules committee recommended 17 rules changes, which were sent to the membership on May 1 for feedback. The recommendations and feedback will be reviewed by the Playing Rules Oversight Panel (PROP) in June.

NCAA Men's and Women's Basketball Court Markings Update

During a recent NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee meetings, the committees took the following action:

Distance of the three-point line. Both committees voted to support a recommendation to extend the distance of the three-point line by approximately 1’ 5”, making the line the same distance as the international three-point line (22’ 1¾” at the top of the key and to 21’ 7 and 7/8” in the corners). The recommendation includes an effective date of 2019-20 for Division I institutions.

Next steps. The Men’s and Women’s Basketball Rules Committees and the Playing Rules Oversight Panel (PROP) will consider the recommendation. The Oversight Committees will forward the recommendation to extend the three-point line to the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Rules Committees for further consideration.

Effective Date. The Oversight Committees’ recommendation includes an effective date of 2019-20 for Division I institutions. However, the Oversight Committees acknowledge that the rules committees and PROP may favor an effective date of 2020-21 for Divisions II and III institutions.

This information is being provided to assist institutions in planning for any possible court marking changes. Please note that if the recommendation to extend the three-point line is approved and an institution is unable to paint the line for the upcoming season (due to budget or facility-access issues), temporary lines (e.g., tape) could be used. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact either Dan Calandro, liaison to the Men’s Basketball Rules Committee, or Rachel Seewald, liaison to the Women’s Basketball Rules Committee.